Language Barrier

[RLS]

I'm not sure if it is the right forum for this, but, I would like to hear from those of you who have gone through or are going through the language barrier. I have started communication with my SO on the phone. She knows very little English and I only know a few words of Chinese. I absolutely love hearing her voice on the phone and just saying the few words we know is better than nothing. I would like to get her into some basic English classes, however, she works 10 to 12 hours a day and has very little spare time. To those of you who are familiar with Nanning, would you recommend or do you know of a private school where she could learn some English? I would appreciate any information you can share with me. TY --Ron

[Guest pushbrk]

I'm not sure if it is the right forum for this, but, I would like to hear from those of you who have gone through or are going through the language barrier.  I have started communication with my SO on the phone.  She knows very little English and I only know a few words of Chinese.  I absolutely love hearing her voice on the phone and just saying the few words we know is better than nothing.  I would like to get her into some basic English classes, however, she works 10 to 12 hours a day and has very little spare time.  To those of you who are familiar with Nanning, would you recommend or do you know of a private school where she could learn some English?  I would appreciate any information you can share with me.  TY --Ron 

191197[/snapback]

My wife's teacher can either give information on his classes or recommend some near her. Call Mr. Liang at 0771-2806199. Referred by Weihua.

[mercator]

Talking to you is going to go a long way. My wife and I were pretty clumsy in our first conversations. They were short and limited. Now we talk for hours at a time in Chinglish, though I try and use as much English as I can. She has not studied much, save for the fact we have the same dictionary, and she thumbs through it when we aren't talking and using it. We use it less and less. She also has a small electronic dictionary she uses when we talk and will look at it on the bus going to work. If my tax return is good, She is going to get another one, that will translate entire sentences for about $250. I think having the ability to fiddle with it when she has a few minutes is quite valuable. She is thinking about English a little bit through out the day, rather than one concentrated session, at least in lieu of having time for such a session. I will ask her the make and model of this new one. The old one was like $100. Maybe she'd sell it to someone in GZ - I wouldnt be surprised (hehe).

[lou]

My wife started English classes right after we met, 3 days a week for 3 hours after work. She only lasted about 2 months before she left and started to study with the help of her sister, the internet and lots of English books.

From what she tells me, there are many shcools in Nanning that teach English, but most of them "no good"!

 

Your best bet, try the number Mike posted first.

[RLS]

I'm not sure if it is the right forum for this, but, I would like to hear from those of you who have gone through or are going through the language barrier.  I have started communication with my SO on the phone.  She knows very little English and I only know a few words of Chinese.  I absolutely love hearing her voice on the phone and just saying the few words we know is better than nothing.  I would like to get her into some basic English classes, however, she works 10 to 12 hours a day and has very little spare time.  To those of you who are familiar with Nanning, would you recommend or do you know of a private school where she could learn some English?  I would appreciate any information you can share with me.  TY --Ron 

191197[/snapback]

My wife's teacher can either give information on his classes or recommend some near her. Call Mr. Liang at 0771-2806199. Referred by Weihua.

191206[/snapback]

Thank you, Mike, for that information.

[Guest pushbrk]

I'm not sure if it is the right forum for this, but, I would like to hear from those of you who have gone through or are going through the language barrier.  I have started communication with my SO on the phone.  She knows very little English and I only know a few words of Chinese.  I absolutely love hearing her voice on the phone and just saying the few words we know is better than nothing.  I would like to get her into some basic English classes, however, she works 10 to 12 hours a day and has very little spare time.  To those of you who are familiar with Nanning, would you recommend or do you know of a private school where she could learn some English?  I would appreciate any information you can share with me.  TY --Ron 

191197[/snapback]

My wife's teacher can either give information on his classes or recommend some near her. Call Mr. Liang at 0771-2806199. Referred by Weihua.

191206[/snapback]

Thank you, Mike, for that information.

191219[/snapback]

Even then, there is no substitute for practicing, with you, what she learns in class. She will not pronounce well from any class taught by a Chinese teacher. I can "understand" Mr. Liang but he is heavily accented. He is retired from being the Department head for English at a local University.

 

These girls can practice with each other too.

[esun41]

I can recall those times of communication challenges. I talk to my wife now with little, if any, difficulty. Of course, being in the same room (not to mention the same country) has a HUGE advantage. When we first met back in 2004, being in person was such an advantage VS. being 8000 miles away.

 

Patience is so important at this junction. I remember my wife having to take a bus half way across town, (barefoot and uphill, both ways... )

To see me on Yahell! or write me an email. As time goes by, it will get better and easier but I had to make more of an effort to help and understand my SO's position. I bought her a computer for her home. Helped her with calling cards as money was tight all the time. Made her everyday life a little easier by paying for English classes and sent her money to buy little things like a washer and air conditioner. I know this all seems to come down to money but making her life easier in this aspect made it easier for her to communicate and removing that barrier not so difficult.

 

My little piece of advice for all that are getting their SO's involved in English learning while they await immigration. Hire a English teacher that is a primary English speaker. Not easy I know but I spent 1500 RMB per month (500 RMB X 3) for some jackass to question my English speaking ability! His English is as bad as my Chinese!

 

Uhhhh... hello.... I'm from the USA... I speak English...

[Thomas Promise]

I can recall those times of communication challenges. I talk to my wife now with little, if any, difficulty. Of course, being in the same room (not to mention the same country) has a HUGE advantage. When we first met back in 2004, being in person was such an advantage VS. being 8000 miles away.

 

Patience is so important at this junction. I remember my wife having to take a bus half way across town, (barefoot and uphill, both ways...  )

To see me on Yahell! or write me an email. As time goes by, it will get better and easier but I had to make more of an effort to help and understand my SO's position. I bought her a computer for her home. Helped her with calling cards as money was tight all the time. Made her everyday life a little easier by paying for English classes and sent her money to buy little things like a washer and air conditioner. I know this all seems to come down to money but making her life easier in this aspect made it easier for her to communicate and removing that barrier not so difficult.

 

My little piece of advice for all that are getting their SO's involved in English learning while they await immigration. Hire a English teacher that is a primary English speaker. Not easy I know but I spent 1500 RMB per month (500 RMB X 3) for some jackass to question my English speaking ability! His English is as bad as my Chinese!

 

Uhhhh... hello.... I'm from the USA... I speak English... 

191235[/snapback]

My SO and I experienced a similar problems with here English teacher. Her teacher is a very nice and dedicated person but the heavy accent is no help to my SO. She would do better reading aloud out of a Dick and Jane see Spot run book then having this type of lessons.

When I was with her last month her English really improved. I also bought her a upscale translator with audio feedback that has helped her out alot. A number of times she would translate to me what her friends where saying to me and she was pretty accurate in her translation.

It will take alot of time and patience as well a lot of encouragement and compliments to your SO on her efforts.

Edited February 15, 2006 by Thomas Promise (see edit history)

[pkfops]

You may want to meet her half way as the two of you

are in it for the long journey.

 

Try this:

 

http://www.multilingualbooks.com/talknow-cantonese.html

 

http://www.multilingualbooks.com/talknow-mandarin.html

[shyaushu]

I agree with the last post -- whatever happens, meeting half way is best, as a few careful words in Chinese can express what would not be understood in English. Perhaps you can decide which one of the two of you has the better language learning skills and that one can assume the lion's share of the transition.

 

That's how it has worked for my wife and me, and it has worked out very well.

 

Incidentally, my wife knew almost no English at all and really resisted learning it here for two months, but I enrolled her in a local English as a Foreign Language (ESL) course here -- free -- and she has really been enjoying it. Now everyday we have our "English only" conversation (for about 15 minutes!) but it's been great.

 

Plus, she's met a variety of people from all over the world and has a better sense of connectedness.

[jim_julian]

My recomendations:

 

1. Get your Chinese partner into an English class in China. They will learn something. They can do vocabulary on their own but grammar is very tough without a teacher ... and grammar is typically a stumbling block for Chinese learning English.

 

2. Talk to them a lot. You are the best accent teacher they will have. Accents are easier to teach in person and over a web cam ... you gotta see the positions of lips, tongues, teeth, etc.

 

3. Avoid slipping into the trap of glossing over that you didn't really understand what the other said ... this takes a lot of discipline. If you don't understand you must say so ... every time.

[dstarsboy]

My recomendations:

 

3. Avoid slipping into the trap of glossing over that you didn't really understand what the other said ... this takes a lot of discipline.  If you don't understand you must say so ... every time.

191381[/snapback]

That's a great suggestion. I didn't really think of that. I always thought I would take the "eh, close enough" or "I think I know what she's saying so I'll just go with that" approach, but i can see how this will lead them down the wrong path.

[yuan fen]

I agree.

 

3. Misinterpretation. This has to be the biggest one.

 

We talk in both languages.

 

If I don't understand, I say so on the spot.

 

The other day SO was talking about "blood." She did not know the English word, but instead of saying it in Manderin (syair yair), SO says, "hoong jyo."

 

I knew from the context of the conversation what she meant.

 

I've found this to be a double edged sword, and it does take alot of discipline.

 

 

Eric

[pkfops]

I agree.

 

3. Misinterpretation. This has to be the biggest one.

 

We talk in both languages.

 

If I don't understand, I say so on the spot.

 

The other day SO was talking about "blood." She did not know the English word, but instead of saying it in Manderin (syair yair), SO says, "hoong jyo."

 

I knew from the context of the conversation what she meant.

 

I've found this to be a double edged sword, and it does take alot of discipline.

 

 

Eric

191406[/snapback]

You will find this to be very important down the road

when you talk about money matters.

 

A simple "we need to watch our spending this pay cycle"

can have many meanings; especially if your SO is not

working yet.

 

A whole new topic.

[ShenzhenEmily]

I agree.

 

3. Misinterpretation. This has to be the biggest one.

 

We talk in both languages.

 

If I don't understand, I say so on the spot.

 

The other day SO was talking about "blood." She did not know the English word, but instead of saying it in Manderin (syair yair), SO says, "hoong jyo."

 

I knew from the context of the conversation what she meant.

 

I've found this to be a double edged sword, and it does take alot of discipline.

 

 

Eric

191406[/snapback]

You will find this to be very important down the road

when you talk about money matters.

 

A simple "we need to watch our spending this pay cycle"

can have many meanings; especially if your SO is not

working yet.

 

A whole new topic.

191408[/snapback]

This is not intended to be an advertisement, but...I worked at a school in Zhuhai that taught English and Mandarin. A possible option would be for both partner's to study at the same time.

 

Just a thought.